Michelle Obama “Linked” to Pedestrian Deaths

Pedestrian fatalities are up. Experts blame Michelle Obama.

The Governors Highway Safety Association says pedestrian deaths increased in the first half of 2010 and the First Lady’s program to get Americans to be more active could be partly responsible.

Governors Highway Safety Administration spokesman Jonathan Adkins told 630 WMAL that Michelle Obama is “trying to get us to walk to work and exercise a little bit more. While that’s good, it also increases our exposure to risk.”

After four straight years of steady declines, pedestrian deaths were up during the first six months of 2010, the latest figures available to be studied.

Other factors include distracted drivers, distracted pedestrians and what Adkins calls “aggressive pedestrians.”

“People who are not crossing where they are supposed to. They’re running in front of cars. We’ve even had examples of pedestrians getting out on the interstate,” said Adkins.

Alcohol is also factor in increased pedestrian deaths. “We’ve done a good job of getting people, after a night out of partying, to leave their keys behind. But just because you are walking does not mean you are not at risk,” said Adkins.

Pedestrians are also increasingly distracted by iPods and smart phones. It is not uncommon to see people crossing streets while fiddling with an electronic device and not watching where they are walking. Hospital emergency rooms have reported an upsurge of people injured in a fall because they were distracted by electronics.

Where to start?

Well, first off, there are no figures provided. Via Dr. Google, I see “The Governors Highway Safety Association says in the report that 1,891 pedestrians were killed in the first six months of 2010, up from 1,884 in the same period in 2009 — a 0.4 percent increase. ” Now, I don’t know the historical variation in these things, but I’d say offhand that this is a statistically insignificant swing. Regardless, a variety of factors — alcohol, technology, and road design among them — seem to be considered possible explanations for the slight reversal in trend.

Second, while I don’t pay much attention to the social campaigns of First Ladies, I don’t recall Mrs. Obama telling people that they should get drunk, strap on an iPod, and go wandering around the streets reading their BlackBerries. She’s advising people to get some exercise, not to go wander around in traffic. Yes, that’s technically a form of exercise. There are others.

Third, anecdotally at least, I have indeed seen an increase in pedestrians distracted by electronic devices, whether it be texting while walking or grooving to whatever’s piping through their little white earbuds. Then again, I’ve seen the same thing among people operating automobiles — and traffic deaths are down 8 percent during the same period.

Second, while I don’t pay much attention to the social campaigns of First Ladies, I don’t recall Mrs. Obama telling people that they should get drunk, strap on an iPod, and go wandering around the streets reading their BlackBerries.

Obviously you haven’t been listening correctly. Its a little oratorical trick called a dog whistle. Educate yourself, fool.

Well, no surprise that the usual suspects – Rush, Hannity, etc – are up to their usual breed of moronity.

However, I find the original report that they cite extremely myopic and irresponsible to view the increase in pedestrian deaths, however small, as a failure of Michelle’s program while at the same time considering an 8% decline in overall traffic fatalities as an independent success.

HELLO! If we have fewer drivers on the road due to alternate modes of transportation being utilized then the driving experience becomes less dangerous. Conversely, if there was a significant increase in pedestrian traffic, particularly new, uneducated pedestrians, then we would expect that more pedestrian fatalities would be the result. In fact, the fact that there are not significantly MORE fatalities with an increased sample size could be the bigger takeaway from these stats. That overall, risk of dying from transportation related problems has decreased.

Education of a new generation of pedestrians and increased access for safety would, of course, be another takeaway.

Of course, as the linked story says, nobody knew it was her until she self-identified. (Kinda reminds of the scene in Woodstock of the two folks gettin’ it on in the field. The shot was taken from waaaaaaay away. Nevertheless, some goof tried to sue the producers for alleging some bogus privacy violation. As I recall, the case was thrown out because the people couldn’t really be identified, and the judge, if I recall, made some remark to the effect that folks ought really to look for a field with taller grass next time they’re so inclined.)

The right will take this seriously. There is no danger of getting hurt going from chair in front of your computer in your mom’s basement to the refrigerator in the kitchen, if you can see your feet, you’ll be okay on the stairs.

While I am quite certain that there are some really, really dumb things coming out of the Office of the First Lady (every administration has to have one? isn’t it time to elect a POTUS that doesn’t come with a FLOTUS? I’m single, and I could be President), this is NOT one of them.

America, you need to get your happy ass walking. Here in Germany, it’s a daily and weekly ritual to walk several kilometers or more, every day of the week, rain or shine. Here in the Schwarzwald, there are abundant hiking trails.

I would say that a lack of these clearly-identified walking paths and trails is a contributing factor to pedestrian deaths in the United States. When we lived in Central Maryland, there were plenty of places to walk, and plenty of criminals who would ambush and rob and kill people. Google up “Howard County Pedestrian Robbed” and you’ll see what I mean.

America is Fatass Nation. Walk, walk, walk. That’s the only thing that will save you if you are too fat to see your own junk. Peace out.